How to Get the Best Books of 2012 for Less

As the year draws to a close, editors everywhere are busy putting together their end-of-year/best-of lists. The New York Times jumps into the fray with its straightforwardly-named list of The 10 Best Books of 2012. Knowing what was worth reading this year is good. Knowing how to save money on those reads is better! So, here’s the Grey Lady’s list of books, with the addition of the cheapest place to buy them.

FICTION

“Bring Up The Bodies” by Hilary Mantel

eBook: eBookMall for $12.99, a low by less than a buckHardcover: Amazon for $14.33 with free shipping via Prime, a low by $2

The sequel to “Wolf Hall,” this book is about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s relationship, which was… cut short. It’s a chronicle of that time as told from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s chief minister. According to The New York Times, it makes the “worn-out story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn newly fascinating and suspenseful.” It also won the 2012 Man Booker Prize.

“Building Stories” by Chris Ware

Hardcover: Back-ordered at Amazon for $30 with free shipping, a low by $4

From the writer of the artsy graphic novel “Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth,” this graphic novel is packaged in a large box and split into 14 pamphlets, books, and foldouts. It follows the lives of an elderly landlady, a spiteful married couple, and a lonely amputee who all live in the same apartment building.

“A Hologram For The King” by Dave Eggers

According to The New York Times, this story is a “parable of America’s international standing and a riff on middle-class decline.” Plot-wise, though, it’s about a struggling businessman in a Saudi Arabian city who is trying to keep his house out of foreclosure, pay his daughter’s college tuition, and do something important.

“NW” by Zadie Smith

Described by The New York Times as “tragi-comic,” this novel follows four Londoners as they mature and leave the housing projects they grew up in. Hijinks ensue. (Well, sounds more like bittersweet, emotional encounters ensue.)

“The Yellow Birds” by Kevin Powers

This tale follows two young soldiers through a deployment in Iraq. It focuses on the metal stresses of battle and the impact they have. As The New York Times says, this book’s narrative “reflect[s] the chaos of war” with a “fractured narrative [that] jumps around in time and location. Powers anchors it with crystalline prose and a driving mystery: How did the narrator’s friend die?” Um, spoilers, New York Times!

NONFICTION

“Behind The Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity” by Katherine Boo

This National Book Award winner is a study of life in Annawadi, a Mumbai slum. The author spent three years among the residents, collecting profiles of the inhabitants and chronicling their daily life. Boo, according to The New York Times, “depicts [the inhabitants] in all their humanity and ruthless, resourceful glory.”

“Far From The Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity” by Andrew Solomon

eBook: Barnes & Noble or Amazon for $16.99, a low by $3Hardcover: Amazon for $21.60 with free shipping via Prime, a low by less than a buck

An investigation of how families cope with raising prodigies, dwarfs, schizophrenics, transgendered children, or those conceived by rape. As Booklist says, “Solomon focuses on the creative and often desperate ways in which families manage to tear down prejudices and preconceived fears and reassemble their lives around the life of a child who alters their view of the world.”

“The Passage Of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson” by Robert A. Caro

The fourth volume in Caro’s series about the life of Lyndon Johnson, this book chronicles the events of 1958 to 1964. It follows Lyndon Johnson through what The New York Times calls his “humiliating years as vice president” and into his ascension into POTUS after JFK’s assassination.

“The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy” by David Nasaw

This biography of Joe Kennedy (JFK’s dad) was compiled over six years by Nasaw, who was given unprecedented and total access to all of the subject’s papers and documents held in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. Amazon calls it “a story not only of one of the twentieth century’s wealthiest and most powerful Americans, but also of the family he raised and the children who completed the journey he had begun.”

“Why Does The World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story” by Jim Holt

eBook: Amazon for $9.78, a low by $4Hardcover: Walmart for $16.76 with $1.97 s&h, or back-ordered at Amazon for $18.45 with free shipping via Prime; a low by $3

Why is there something, instead of nothing? The author interviewed philosophers, scientists, and novelists for their take on the answer to this question. The results were, as The New York Times puts it, “sometimes closely reasoned, sometimes almost mystical, often very strange, always entertaining and thought-provoking.”

Pier 1 Imports takes up to 90% off its selection of clearance items. (Prices are as marked.) Shipping starts at $5, but orders of $49 or more qualify for free shipping via coupon code "FREESHIP49". (In-store pickup my also be available for a number of items.)

Pier 1 Imports takes up to 90% off its selection of clearance items. (Prices are as marked.) Shipping starts at ... Read
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Updated: 1 week 2 days ago

Macy's takes up to 70% off a selection of men's and women's clearance shoes. (Eligible items are marked.) Even better, cut an extra 30% off via coupon code "VIP". Pad your order with a beauty item (they start at $3) to bag free shipping; otherwise, shipping adds $10.95 or free on orders of $99 or more. Deal ends March 25. A couple of best bets, with prices after discount:

The North Face takes up to 40% off a selection of men's, women's, and kid's apparel. (Prices are as marked.) ... Read
more.

Updated: February 19, 2018

Crocs takes an extra 50% off its men's, women's, and kids' clearance styles during its Semi-Annual Clearance Event. (The discount applies in cart.) Shipping adds $4.99, or get free shipping on orders of $24.99 or more. That's tied with our September mention as the best no-minimum extra discount we've seen from Crocs in the past year. Deal ends March 20. A couple of best bets, with prices after discount:

Crocs takes an extra 50% off its men's, women's, and kids' clearance styles during its Semi-Annual Clearance Event. (The discount ... Read
more.

Updated: 3 days 15 hr ago

Dick's Sporting Goods takes up to 75% off a selection of clearance apparel, shoes, camping gear, sports items, and more. Shipping adds $5.99, although orders of $49 or more receive free shipping. (Large items may incur additional fees, as free shipping only covers up to $15 off the shipping cost. In-store pickup is also available for select items.) A couple of best bets:

Best Buy retail locations take an extra 50% off open-box luxury and built-in appliances via this printable coupon. Meanwhile, other ... Read
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Updated: 1 week 3 days ago

adidas via eBay cuts an extra 25% off select men's, women's, and kids' shoes and apparel. (Discount applies in cart.) Plus, all orders receive free shipping. A couple of best bets, with prices after the in-cart discount:

Hanes cuts up to 70% off its clearance items. Plus, all orders receive free shipping via coupon code "SHIPFREE". (Shipping normally adds $7.99 for all orders under $60.) Sizes and stock are limited for some items.

Columbia offers its Columbia Men's Powder Lite Hooded Jacket in several colors (Black pictured) for $59.99. Coupon code "COLMARCH60" cuts it to $47.99. Plus, Greater Rewards members receive free shipping. (Not a member? It's free to sign up.) That's the lowest price we could find in any color by $50. It's available in most sizes from S M to XXL. Deal ends March 27.

SanDisk Outlet Store takes up to 75% off a selection of USB flash drives, memory cards, headphones, and more. Plus, get an extra 10% off via coupon code "10OffOutletFS". Even better, the same code nets free shipping. Some exclusions apply. A couple of best bets, with prices after coupon:

Steep & Cheap takes up to 65% off a selection of Patagonia men's and women's clothing, accessories, and gear. (Prices ... Read
more.

Updated: 13 hr 24 min ago

For AMC Stubs Premiere members only, and with availability limited by ZIP code, Gofobo offers two tickets to an advanced screening of Ready Player One at select AMC Theatres nationwide for free. The viewing is scheduled for March 21 at 7 pm local time; tickets may sell out quickly.

Note: Although you can reserve your tickets without an AMC Stubs Premiere membership, you must show your membership card at your theater to redeem your ticket. The movie is scheduled for release on March 29.

For AMC Stubs Premiere members only, and with availability limited by ZIP code, Gofobo offers two tickets to an advanced ... Read
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Updated: 4 days 8 hr ago

At participating locations on April 2, Little Caesars will offer a freelunch combo with no purchase necessary. That's around a $5 savings, courtesy of 16-seed UMBC ousting the top-seeded Virginia in the NCAA Tournament. This offer is valid from 11:30 am to 1 pm local time. Other terms and conditions apply.

H&M takes up to 70% off a select items as part of its Big Spring Sale. (Prices are as marked.) Shipping adds $5.99, but orders of $40 or more receive free shipping via coupon code "0040". Kids' items start at $1.99, men's shirts at $3.99 $5.99, and women's dresses at $3.99.

H&M takes up to 70% off a select items as part of its Big Spring Sale. (Prices are as marked.) ... Read
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Updated: 3 days 6 hr ago

adidas via eBay offers its adidas Men's Lite Racer Shoes in Grey/White for $39.99. In-cart, it drops to $29.99. With free shipping, that's the lowest price we could find by $20. They're available in sizes 8 to 13.

Reebok via eBay takes up to 75% off shoes and apparel as part of its Friends & Family Sale. (Prices are as marked.) Plus, all orders bag free shipping. Sizes and stock may be limited. A couple of best bets:

Reebok via eBay takes up to 75% off shoes and apparel as part of its Friends & Family Sale. (Prices ... Read
more.

Updated: 3 days 6 hr ago

IKEA has dropped its shipping charges, with large item delivery starting now at a staggering low of $29! Wait, what? Yes, you heard correctly. With a previous starting price of $99 (and current maximum price of $59) for large items, that yields a $70 savings in many cases. Plus, the shipping rate for small items has been reduced from a starting price of $10 to a flat rate of $9. Although we briefly saw free shipping on orders of $250 or more in October, it still yields some of the greatest widespread savings we've ever seen from IKEA.

IKEA has dropped its shipping charges, with large item delivery starting now at a staggering low of $29! Wait, what? ... Read
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Updated: February 14, 2018

Udemy continues to offer a selection of online courses for free. Each course includes hours of content, and most are by far the best deals we could find for such classes. Here are a few interesting ones:

Udemy continues to offer a selection of online courses for free. Each course includes hours of content, and most are ... Read
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Updated: 1 week 17 hr ago

Lowe's takes up to 75% offclearance items, with prices starting from 74 cents. (Most prices are as marked, but some items receive discounts in cart.) Plus, MyLowe's members bag free shipping on most orders. (Not a member? It's free to join. Larger items may incur oversized shipping fees.) A couple of best bets:

This summer, NASA will launch the Parker Solar Probe. Sign up here for free to put your name in a memory card that will fly aboard the craft. A meaningless gesture, but no less cool for that (so-to-speak).

The probe is designed to get closer to the sun than any spacecraft in history and collect new data on solar activity and its effects on Earth; it will orbit the sun at around 450,000 miles per hour (which would take you from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. in one second). The launch window for the probe is between July 31 and August 19, and it should make its first close approach in December 2024. The deadline for submitting your name is April 27.

This summer, NASA will launch the Parker Solar Probe. Sign up here for free to put your name in a ... Read
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Updated: 2 days 7 hr ago

Shively Sporting Goods via eBay offers the adidas Men's Climalite Game Time Polo Shirt in White for $9.99 with free shipping. That's $3 under our September mention and is the lowest price we could find by $17. It's available in size S only.